Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications
Abstract Among the best natural fibers, natural silk is well liked by customers worldwide. The stability of the silkworm cocoon crop makes it most viable for enhancing sericulture, which primarily depends on mulberry leaf quality. The nutritional constituents of mulberry leaves do not always meet th...
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SpringerOpen
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Bulletin of the National Research Centre |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-025-01328-0 |
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| author | Tahia A. Fouad Ghada M. Ahmed |
| author_facet | Tahia A. Fouad Ghada M. Ahmed |
| author_sort | Tahia A. Fouad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Among the best natural fibers, natural silk is well liked by customers worldwide. The stability of the silkworm cocoon crop makes it most viable for enhancing sericulture, which primarily depends on mulberry leaf quality. The nutritional constituents of mulberry leaves do not always meet the requirements of the silkworm larvae because more than 60% of the Egyptian rearers depend on huge mulberry trees scattered along the canals and roadsides, which are not fertilized. Medical plants have many botanical components that are useful for animals and humans. Extracts of four plant species were used: Ginkgo biloba (G), Boswellia carterii (B), Salvia officinalis (S), and Cymbopogon citratus (Cc). Extracts were used to prepare four concentrations: C1, C2, C3, and C4. Seventeen silkworm traits were monitored, including fifth and whole larval duration, larval mortality for young and grown larvae, fourth and fifth growth rate, cocooning ratio, pupation percentage, percentage of double cocooning, and cocoons number per liter. Moreover, after sexing, the weight of the full cocoon, weight of the cocoon shell, pupa weight, shell percentage, and silk productivity were recorded for females and males. Also, the cocoon yield by number and weight was estimated. Plant extracts enhanced most silkworm Bombyx mori L. characteristics, except for double cocooning percentage. Using plant extracts improved most mulberry silkworm characteristics except for the double cocooning percentage. C3 and C4 concentrations yielded the best results for all traits. Extracts of Cymbopogon citratus (Cc), Boswellia carterii (B), and Salvia officinalis (S) yielded the highest mean for most traits. The essential oils are perhaps the reason behind the enhancement of the tested traits of silkworms. The highest concentration of C4 was the best for all characters under study, so the decreased mortality percentage of silkworm larvae led to increased cocoon crops and enhanced silkworm traits quality. Graphic Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4a9727c551ef45759647c3903cd81918 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2522-8307 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the National Research Centre |
| spelling | doaj-art-4a9727c551ef45759647c3903cd819182025-08-20T03:37:19ZengSpringerOpenBulletin of the National Research Centre2522-83072025-06-0149111410.1186/s42269-025-01328-0Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applicationsTahia A. Fouad0Ghada M. Ahmed1Sericulture Research Department, Agriculture Research Center, Plant Protection Research InstituteSericulture Research Department, Agriculture Research Center, Plant Protection Research InstituteAbstract Among the best natural fibers, natural silk is well liked by customers worldwide. The stability of the silkworm cocoon crop makes it most viable for enhancing sericulture, which primarily depends on mulberry leaf quality. The nutritional constituents of mulberry leaves do not always meet the requirements of the silkworm larvae because more than 60% of the Egyptian rearers depend on huge mulberry trees scattered along the canals and roadsides, which are not fertilized. Medical plants have many botanical components that are useful for animals and humans. Extracts of four plant species were used: Ginkgo biloba (G), Boswellia carterii (B), Salvia officinalis (S), and Cymbopogon citratus (Cc). Extracts were used to prepare four concentrations: C1, C2, C3, and C4. Seventeen silkworm traits were monitored, including fifth and whole larval duration, larval mortality for young and grown larvae, fourth and fifth growth rate, cocooning ratio, pupation percentage, percentage of double cocooning, and cocoons number per liter. Moreover, after sexing, the weight of the full cocoon, weight of the cocoon shell, pupa weight, shell percentage, and silk productivity were recorded for females and males. Also, the cocoon yield by number and weight was estimated. Plant extracts enhanced most silkworm Bombyx mori L. characteristics, except for double cocooning percentage. Using plant extracts improved most mulberry silkworm characteristics except for the double cocooning percentage. C3 and C4 concentrations yielded the best results for all traits. Extracts of Cymbopogon citratus (Cc), Boswellia carterii (B), and Salvia officinalis (S) yielded the highest mean for most traits. The essential oils are perhaps the reason behind the enhancement of the tested traits of silkworms. The highest concentration of C4 was the best for all characters under study, so the decreased mortality percentage of silkworm larvae led to increased cocoon crops and enhanced silkworm traits quality. Graphic Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-025-01328-0Economic traitsEssential oilsGrowth rateMorus albaPlant extractsSilkworm Bombyx mori |
| spellingShingle | Tahia A. Fouad Ghada M. Ahmed Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications Bulletin of the National Research Centre Economic traits Essential oils Growth rate Morus alba Plant extracts Silkworm Bombyx mori |
| title | Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications |
| title_full | Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications |
| title_fullStr | Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications |
| title_short | Growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., with medicinal plant extracts’ applications |
| title_sort | growth rate pattern and economic characteristics of the silkworm bombyx mori l with medicinal plant extracts applications |
| topic | Economic traits Essential oils Growth rate Morus alba Plant extracts Silkworm Bombyx mori |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-025-01328-0 |
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